“Alcohol simply calms the nerves” - Dennis Priestley claims darts stars still drink before matches to handle pressure

Darts has changed almost beyond recognition from the pub-rooted sport Dennis Priestley knew at the height of his career. The smoky stages, casual drinking culture and old-school tournament atmosphere have largely disappeared, replaced by sold-out arenas, packed calendars, major prize money and a far more professional environment.

One connection, though, has never fully left the sport’s image. Alcohol remains part of the wider darts culture, particularly among fans, and Priestley believes it may still play a bigger role behind the scenes than many assume.

The 75-year-old former world champion has reignited a familiar debate by suggesting that some professionals still use alcohol to handle the pressure of major matches. Priestley, the 1994 world champion and one of the early PDC pioneers, believes the appeal is simple.

“Alcohol simply calms the nerves,” Priestley told Bild. “You just have to know exactly how much you need to stay relaxed without it affecting your game.”

Priestley’s comments touch on one of the most sensitive subjects in modern darts. The sport has worked hard to move away from the old stereotype of players drinking and smoking around the oche, with fitness, preparation and mental discipline now much more prominent at the elite level.

Even so, Priestley can understand why some players might still be tempted to reach for a drink before stepping on stage. “The pressure in modern darts is enormous. Everyone looks at averages, rankings and results. Some players look for ways to reduce that tension. In the past, that often happened with a drink.”

Priestley is speaking from an era when that was far less controversial. In previous interviews, he has recalled a very different darts world in the 1980s and 1990s, when drinking around tournaments was not treated as unusual. He has even said before that he won his 1994 world title after having four glasses of beer beforehand.

Other players from that period have also spoken openly about the old culture of the sport, when travelling to events, spending time in pubs and competing at tournaments were often closely linked. “That was the culture of the sport back then,” Priestley said. “Nobody found it unusual. It was simply part of it.”

The contrast with the current generation is stark. Players such as Luke Humphries, Luke Littler and Gian van Veen belong to a very different darts landscape, one in which nutrition, practice structure, recovery and mental preparation are now part of the conversation around elite performance.

Gerwyn Price is another regular example of that shift. The former rugby player’s athletic build is far removed from the traditional image of a darts professional, and his presence underlines how much the sport’s physical profile has changed.

The workload has changed too. Players now face a crowded calendar and far more international travel than previous generations, with tournaments across Europe, North America, Asia and Oceania. Living like players did in the past is no longer widely viewed as compatible with staying at the top of the modern game.

Despite Priestley’s comments, the PDC does not currently believe extra measures are needed.

Chief executive Matt Porter said there is no sign that alcohol has become a structural issue on the professional tour. “We do not feel this is something that needs to be controlled,” Porter said previously. “Simply because it is not a problem that is getting out of control.”

Porter also compared the situation to other sports, arguing that responsibility ultimately sits with the individual player. “If Harry Kane drank two beers before a match for Bayern Munich, there is no rule that would forbid him from doing so. The same principle applies here.”

For the PDC, the position is clear. Unless professionalism, behaviour or performance are being affected, there is no obvious reason to intervene.

That still leaves darts with a complicated question. In most sports, alcohol is seen as damaging to performance. In darts, where precision, rhythm and calm under pressure are so important, some have long argued that the picture is less straightforward.

Small amounts may make a player feel more relaxed, but alcohol is also widely associated with reduced concentration, reaction speed and coordination. Those are hardly minor details in a sport decided by millimetres and repeated execution under pressure.

Most modern professionals have moved towards different methods of managing pressure. Mental coaching, breathing techniques, meditation and sports psychology are now far more common parts of elite preparation than the old reliance on a pre-match drink.

Priestley’s comments do not prove that drinking before matches remains widespread. They do, however, reopen a debate darts has never entirely escaped. The sport has moved far beyond its pub origins, but the relationship between darts and alcohol still lingers, even as the professional game becomes sharper, richer and more demanding than ever.